1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of devices and equipment used in medicine and surgery, and more specifically to an optical device providing a generally forward and horizontal field of view for a person looking downwardly into the device. The present invention is particularly useful and valuable for persons who are recovering from ophthalmic surgery, in which an air bubble or the like is introduced into the back of the eye and the recovering patient must keep his/her face and eyes oriented downwardly for proper recovery.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ophthalmic medicine and surgical procedures have made great strides in the recent past, with more and more visual infirmities being curable. Where certain visual problems were very difficult, or impossible, to cure in the past, modern treatments have opened the door to relatively rapid and simple treatment for various problems associated with the eye. As an example, a relatively recently developed treatment for retinal problems (e. g., detached retina and macular degeneration) has been to insert a bubble of air or the like into the eye, where the pressure of the air bubble exerts a restorative force against the retina.
While the above described treatment has proven effective, it is to say the least, inconvenient for the recovering patient. It is essential that the eye be oriented downwardly on the order of eighteen, or perhaps more, hours per day for at least a few weeks, in order to maintain the position of the bubble against the back of the retina during the healing process. The recovering patient i.s required to sleep in a face downward position, and cannot look up to enjoy a normal horizontal field of view for more than a few moments at a time. This precludes the patient from engaging in most normal activities which would be enjoyed by most persons recovering from an injury or illness, including watching television, face to face contact with other persons, etc. A person having such a limitation imposed upon their normal life, is greatly limited in the activities which he/she may enjoy.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a device enabling a person recovering from such ophthalmic surgery, to enjoy a generally forward and horizontal field of view while maintaining a generally face down orientation. The present vision aid generally comprises a folding box with a generally horizontal inlet and a viewing opening in the top of the box generally opposite the inlet. Two generally opposed mirrors are installed within the box, with the two mirrors providing double reversal of an image entering the box so the image appears upright to the user of the device. The device may be rested upon the lap of the user (the bottom surface may be padded), or may be installed upon a tripod for support, as desired.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,302,254 issued on Apr. 29, 1919 to Harry W. Warnecke, titled "Observation Device," describes a periscope for a person to look over a relatively low obstruction and observe the field of view beyond. As such, the two mirrors are parallel to one another, and the observer's view is parallel to that gathered by the uppermost mirror. While Warnecke provides for the telescoping of his periscope, the two parallel mirrors and lack of angular change of the field of view, render the Warnecke device unsuitable for use by a person who is required to face downwardly most of the time. Moreover, Warnecke does not provide any means for supporting his periscope other than by hand, whereas the present vision aid is adapted for support on the user's lap or on a tripod, as desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,828,924 issued on Oct. 27, 1931 to James J. Chardell et al., titled "Combined Spotlight And Observation Device," describes a periscope including a rear view mirror at one end thereof, and an internal spotlight for projecting light from the device. The Chardell et al. periscope may be telescoped, as in the Warnecke periscope described above, but no means is provided for turning the field of view essentially ninety degrees to provide a generally horizontal field of view for a downwardly looking person, as provided by the present invention. Moreover, the Chardell et al. periscope mounts by means of a permanent bracket, unlike the lap and tripod support of the present vision aid.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,909,959 issued on Oct. 27, 1959 to Barney B. Girden, titled "Swimming Face Mask With Periscope," describes a device having at least one embodiment in which a downwardly looking swimmer may have a generally horizontal field of view through a periscope, with the view being provided at the top of the face mask. The device is worn hands free on the face, and encloses the nose and mouth as well as covering the eyes. Thus, conversation would be impossible with the Girden face mask and periscope, whereas the present device may be supported on the lap or by means of a tripod, allowing the user to converse with others in the area and/or interact in other ways as well. Moreover, no folding or collapsing action is provided for the Girden face mask and periscope, whereas the present viewing device is foldable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,055 issued on Oct. 29, 1991 to Lyne Dube, titled "Bedside Television Viewer," describes a device configured for removable attachment to an overhead lampshade or the like, for a viewer to look upwardly into the device. The Dube device includes a pair of generally facing mirrors which turn the image on the order of ninety degrees, depending upon the adjustment of one of the mirrors. While the Dube device might be generally inverted to allow a person to look downwardly into the device, it cannot be supported on the lap of the user, as such support would block the entrance of the view to the device. Moreover, as the Dube device is supported over the head and body of a person, a tripod support is not feasible for the Dube device, whereas the present vision aid is freely supportable by a tripod if so desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,327 issued on Sep. 15, 1992 to Miguel Gaxiola, Jr., titled "Forward View Mirror System For Bicycles," describes a mirror system for attachment to the handlebars of a bicycle to enable a forwardly crouching rider to observe the view ahead without tilting the head rearwardly and inducing neck strain. The two mirrors and their attachment structure are essentially permanently mounted to the handlebars or other structure of the bicycle, and cannot be readily removed and transported with the user as desired. Gaxiola, Jr. does not provide any means of enclosing, folding, or supporting his mirror system by lap or tripod, as provided by the present vision aid invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,713 issued on Apr. 25, 1995 to Paul Stratton et al., titled "Head-Rest," describes various embodiments of a stand for placement on the floor and having a headrest thereatop. A pair of mirrors is installed between the base and the headrest, enabling the user to see forwardly while facing downwardly. However, the Stratton et al. stand cannot be placed upon the user's lap and requires a specialized support frame, whereas the present device may be supported from the floor by means of a conventional camera tripod or the like, thus reducing the cost of the present device in comparison to the Stratton et al. device. Also, while the Stratton et al. device may be disassembled, it is not foldable, as is the present device. Moreover, the present device essentially comprises a box with sides for reducing ambient light or glare, while the Stratton et al. device is completely open.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,422,759 issued on Jun. 6, 1995 to John Lee, titled "Downward Viewing Optical Device," describes a mirror system for wearing about the head (i. e., attachable to an eyeglass frame or headband). The optics of the Lee apparatus are exactly opposite those of the present invention, as a user of the Lee apparatus who carries the head in a forwardly and downwardly lowered position, would be able to see only the area of his/her chest, rather than a view forward, as provided by the present invention. Moreover, Lee does not provide any means for placing his device on a lap or supporting it by means of a tripod, as provided by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,264 issued on Nov. 28, 1995 to Chih-Yu Hsia et al., titled "Reading Device," describes a double mirror assembly adjustably mounted on a stand, with the stand including a book rest or the like thereon. The Hsia et al. device results in relatively little change in the directional path of the reflected image, unlike the essentially ninety degree change provided by the present device, and what change is provided, is in the wrong direction for the purposes of the present invention. A person using the Hsia et al. device, could not adjust it to allow the head to remain tilted forward while still enjoying a forward view. Moreover, Hsia et al. include a concave mirror for magnifying the reflected image, which is not desirable in the present device due to the proximity of the mirrors to the eyes of the user. Also, the Hsia et al. assembly is not adaptable for placement on the lap or on a conventional tripod.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,860 issued on Sep. 2, 1997 to Alfred J. Heitz, titled "Eye Surgery Recovery Apparatus," describes various embodiments of a device for supporting the head and face of a person in a prone, or at least head down, position. One embodiment rests upon the edge of a bed, and includes legs for support. Another embodiment includes a four legged stand, while yet another rests upon a table top or the like. All of the embodiments of the Heitz device are adapted for a person to rest his/her head in direct contact therewith, unlike the present invention, and none of the Heitz embodiments include any mirrors or other means for the user to see anything other than the view straight through the orifice of the headrest portion of the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,760,865 issued on Jun. 2, 1998 to Colin Webster, titled "Glasses For Viewing Two Scenes Simultaneously," describes a device worn like a pair of eyeglasses and having semitransparent reflecting surfaces. The user may view the downward view directly through the semitransparent surfaces, but the semitransparency allows the reflected view generally above the normal line of sight of the user, to be viewed as well. The device is more closely related to the mirror assembly of the Gaxiola, Jr. U.S. Patent discussed further above, for allowing the rider of a bicycle to have a clearer forward view, than to the present invention. Webster does not provide any means of carrying or holding the device on the lap of the user, nor of mounting the device on a tripod or partially enclosing the device to reduce reflected ambient light, as provided by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,835,294 issued on Nov. 10, 1998 to Norio Minegishi, titled "Wide-Angle Side-Mirror Device," describes a portable mirror box for observing the field of view beyond the conventional side mirrors of a truck. As such, the Minegishi device includes a mirror with a compound concave-convex curvature, for widening the horizontal field of view. As the field of view is generally to the side, in the same direction as the driver would look through the device, and somewhat to the rear, a person using the Minegishi mirror box for the purposes of the present invention would find a generally downward field of view encompassing the lower portion of their body and the floor, rather than providing a forward view. Moreover, no tripod or lap support is provided by Minegishi for his device, nor is any folding means disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,900,997 issued on May 4, 1999 to Michael Shapiro, titled "Headrest Apparatus For Forward Viewing From Face Down Position," describes a mirror box having two mirrors in the lower portion thereof, for reflecting a forward view upwardly to a downward facing viewer resting his/her head on the top of the box. The top slides to reposition the view port over a folding external shelf for holding a book or the like. The Shapiro box itself does not fold, as does the present device. Also, Shapiro does not disclose any tripod support or padding for supporting his box comfortably on the lap, as provided by the present invention. Moreover, one of the mirrors of the present invention is secured to the foldable lid of the box for a more compact arrangement, unlike the Shapiro device or others of the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. D-391,278 issued on Feb. 24, 1998 to Su-Min Kung, titled "Periscope," illustrates a design for a periscope similar to that described in the U.S. Patent to Warnecke, described further above. While the Kung periscope apparently includes handles, the remainder of the device appears to differ from the present invention in the same respects as the Warnecke periscope, and cannot perform the function of the present device.
British Patent Publication No. 820,353 published on Sep. 16, 1959 to Barney B. Girden, titled "Improvements In Or Relating To A Face Mask Combined With A Periscopic Device For Swimmers," describes the same invention as that of the '959 U.S. Patent to the same inventor, described further above. The same differences and distinctions noted in that discussion, are seen to apply here.
British Patent Publication No. 2,045,453 published on Oct. 29, 1980 to Wong Cheung-Huang, titled "Multipurpose Optical Device," describes a magnifying device which may be used as various configurations of reflecting telescopes and microscopes. The magnifying nature of the device, and its lack of lap support means, differ from the present view box invention.
Finally, French Patent Publication No. 2,620,406 published on Mar. 17, 1989 to Lilian Christol illustrates a prism for mounting upon the handlebars of a bicycle, for the purposes described for the device of the Gaxiola Jr. U.S. Patent discussed further above. The same points raised in that discussion are seen to apply here.
None of the above inventions and patents, either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.